by Peter Bodley
Managing editor

One of most influential U.S. Congressmen on highway funding issues paid a visit to Anoka County last week to see and hear for himself what is needed to relieve congestion, now and in the future, in the Highway 10 and Highway 65 corridors.

Congressman Tom Petri, R-Wis., is chairman of the House Subcommittee on Highways, Transit and Pipelines.

He was invited to Anoka County by 6th District Congressman Mark Kennedy, R., who sits on the House Transportation Committee.

In a forum at the Tournament Players Club clubhouse in Blaine, Petri and Kennedy heard from state, county and city officials on the improvements that are needed and proposed to ease congestion on both Highway 10 and Highways 65.

But besides need, these projects share one other thing in common - lack of funding, Kennedy and Petri were told.

The highway funding bill that is currently in a House-Senate conference committee in Washington DC., does contain some money for improvements in both corridors, according to Mark Makousky from Kennedy's staff.

There is $1.25 million for a project to improve three intersections along Highway 10 in Ramsey and $2 million for the city of Blaine for frontage road improvements along Highway 65, Makousky said.

Kennedy described Petri as one of the "big four" in Congress on federal highway funding issues.

"Chairman Petri deserves the reputation as a leader in federal transportation decision-making," Kennedy said.

"It is important that he be able to see the need for greater transportation investments in the Sixth District, so that we can make sure that we are not stuck in traffic and away from our families."

The forum was a great opportunity for the citizens of Anoka County to show Petri the pressing transportation needs in the area, according to Kennedy.

"This area is booming," Kennedy said. "There were congestion issues a decade ago. Where will we be a decade from now?"

"It is important Congressman Petri sees and hears the growth pressures and to keep up on the transportation issues of this area."

According to Petri, federal funding for transportation in the country has been diminishing.

"We need to reverse that trend and invest now in our highways," Petri said. "Transportation is an important investment otherwise we pay more in such things as higher insurance and higher prices in stores."

"We also need to compete with the world. China plans to build in 15 years a freeway system it took the United States 60 years to build."

Presentations on Highway 10 issues were made by Frank Pafko, north area manager, Minnesota Department of Transportation; Jodi Ruehle, consultant, The Tinklenberg Group; and Mayor Bjorn Skogquist and Carolyn Braun, planning director, city of Anoka.

"Traffic is bad now in the Highway 10 corridor and it is going to get worse," Pafko said. "It is heavily congested from Coon Rapids to Elk River."

In addition, there are safety issues because of 10 intersections on Highway 10 between Anoka and Elk River, he said. "There are lots of access points," Pafko said.

And growth along the corridor is projected to increase anywhere from 40 to more than 100 percent in the next 20 to 25 years, he said.

Pafko spoke of MnDOT's Highway 10 Interregional Corridor study completed in 2002, which covered a 17.4-mile segment from I-35W in Mounds View to TH 169 in Elk River.

Assuming the Northstar commuter rail system is operating, the need along the Highway 10 corridor is an eight-lane freeway from I-35W to Round Lake Boulevard in Coon Rapids and up to six lanes through Anoka and Ramsey to Elk River.

But because of fiscal constraints, MnDOT is proposing, as an interim measure, a six-lane freeway from I-35W to Round Lake Boulevard and a four-lane freeway to TH 169, according to Pafko.

But none of these projects are included in the 20-year MnDOT construction program, Pafko said.

"We are trying to do some interim projects like the Highway 10-Hanson Boulevard interchange and a third lane on Highway 10 in Coon Rapids to Round Lake Boulevard," he said.

The Tinklenberg Group has been retained by the city of Ramsey as a consultant for its Ramsey Town Center project.

Consultant Ruehle said one of the long-term goals was to convert the existing intersections with Highway 10 at Sunfish Lake, Ramsey and Armstrong boulevards into interchanges.

Earlier this year, Ramsey received $200,000 to develop conceptual layouts and preliminary designs for the three intersections.

The $1.25 million request for federal money would be used to complete environmental and engineering work necessary for the improvements, beginning at Ramsey Boulevard, Ruehle said.

"Ramsey Boulevard has the highest accident rate and is the first priority," she said.

According to Skogquist and Braun, Anoka is a problem as far as expanding Highway 10 capacity because of the seven bridges, two cemeteries, a public golf course and right of way issues.

Anoka is fully developed along the corridor, which leads to relocation issues, Braun said.

"But Anoka wants to be part of the solution," Skogquist said. "We are working together with Ramsey."

According to Braun, Anoka has applied for $1.2 million in federal solicitation funds for preliminary design, engineering and environmental analysis to develop plans for an interchange at Thurston Avenue and and overpass at Fairoak Avenue.

"The Fairoak intersection, within the Anoka segment, is currently rated seventh in the state for the cost of crashes," Braun said.

Braun can speak from personal experience on the Highway 10 congestion issues, she said.

One day it took her 40 minutes to drive the two miles from Armstrong Boulevard to downtown Anoka, Braun said.

Highway 65 corridor issues in Blaine and Ham Lake as well as Highway 242 in Coon Rapids and Blaine were addressed by Mark Dierling, consultant, Short Elliott, Hendrickson, Inc.

Dierling spoke of the plans, as yet unfunded, to upgrade 242 (Main Street) from Coon Creek Boulevard in Coon Rapids to Radisson Road (CSAH 52) in Blaine into a four-lane divided highway and six-lane intersections with protected left- and right-turn lanes at Shenandoah, Hanson and Foley boulevards, University Avenue, Jefferson Street and Oak Park Boulevard.

Highway 65 reconstruction from Highway 10 in Spring Lake Park through Blaine to 140th Avenue N.E. in Ham Lake is also unfunded, except for some money that has been allocated by the state and county for the reconstruction of the Highways 242/65 intersection into an interchange.

This is the top priority because this intersection, in its current form, has been rated the most dangerous in the state, according to Dierling.

But three options remain on the table for the rest of the Highway 65 reconstruction project - a four-lane freeway, a six-lane expressway or no build, Dierling said.

While there may be disagreement on the Highway 65 configuration, there is no disagreement on the need for the 65-242 interchange, he said.

According to Dierling, there is about $25 million committed in state and county monies for the interchange, but that still leaves another $25 million unfunded.

"Improvements to traffic operations and safety are imperative," Dierling said.

"The capacity of Highway 65 is routinely exceeded by traffic demand."

Travel demand expected from development along both 242 and 65 will exacerbate the congestion issues on both highways, according to Dierling.

"Additional capacity is needed to accommodate the increased demand," Dierling said.

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